From April 21 to 25, Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy hosted STEM Week 2025, which is traditionally held as part of the nationwide Ukrainian festival «STEM Spring 2025».

Academic staff and students from the Educational-Scientific Institute of Pedagogical Education, Social Work and Art, the Educational-Scientific Institute of Natural and Agrarian Sciences, the Department of Computing Engineering, Intellectual and Management Systems, as well as educators from the Municipal Educational Institution «Cherkasy Regional Institute of Postgraduate Education for Pedagogical Workers of Cherkasy Regional Council» and students from the RoboClub robotics School in Cherkasy took part in the university-wide STEM Week.

On the first day, lecturers and students from the Department of Preschool and Special Education joined the nationwide marathon «On the Wings of STEM», held as part of the «All-Ukrainian STEM Day». The marathon served as a platform for exchanging of ideas, presentation of STEM education development models, sharing real success stories, and promoting practical tools for implementing STEM approaches in the educational process. Participation in the event allowed students and lecturers of the department to deepen their knowledge in STEM education, explore innovative interdisciplinary practices, and gain inspiration for their own STEM projects.

Additionally, within STEM Week, a literary reading on environmental themes and a creative workshop titled «The Magic of Paper Flowers» were held, led by Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences and Professor Inna Nikolaescu. Fourth-year students from the Department of Preschool Education studied works exploring the connection between humans and nature, particularly conducting an in-depth analysis of Angela Nanetti’s novella «My Grandfather Was a Cherry Tree». During the discussion, students creatively integrated elements of literature, biology, physics, and art to develop interdisciplinary STEM projects. The event concluded with the creation of paper flowers that «came to life» when placed in water, visually demonstrating simple physical phenomena.

The Department of Chemistry and Nanomaterials Science of the Educational-Scientific Institute of Natural and Agrarian Sciences also took part in STEM Week. Candidate of Chemical Sciences and Associate Professor Yulia Shaforost conducted a workshop «STEM Experiment: Purification of Drinking Water». Students explored various methods of water purification – from natural filters made of sand, clay, and activated carbon to multilayer constructions using bark, moss, fabric, cotton, gauze, sand, gravel, and other components – applicable in emergency situations. The workshop illustrated the importance of STEM knowledge in solving urgent environmental and health issues.

An equally engaging event was the visit by first-year students of specialty 012

«Preschool Education» to the STEM Education Training Center of Cherkasy Regional Institute of Postgraduate Education for Pedagogical Workers. Center methodologist Vitalii Kuras introduced the students to the Center’s technical and material base, which included various construction kits, robots, and tools for virtual and augmented reality. The students worked in teams to build robot models, tested their device control skills, and discovered the educational possibilities of modern technologies.

As part of STEM Week, a practical session was held in the STEM Laboratory of Cherkasy National University for students of specialty 123 «Computer Engineering» at the Department of Computing Engineering, Intellectual and Management Systems. Fourth-year student Anastasiia Tsarova led a session titled «Autonomous Robot Navigation Systems in Various Environments», demonstrating the programming capabilities of MAKEBLOCK MBOT2 for obstacle recognition and adaptive behavior. These activities vividly illustrated the practical application of robotics in education, showcasing the broad potential of modern educational platforms and contributing to the development of technical thinking, programming skills, and an engineering approach to problem-solving.

A particularly exciting moment was the introduction of preschool and early primary school children and their parents to the university’s STEM Laboratory during a tour organized by the faculty from the Department of Preschool Education. Visitors observed the operation of a 3D printer, worked with interactive globes and VR glasses, and created 3D models using 3D pens. The tour sparked keen interest not only among children – parents also actively participated, watched demonstrations, asked questions, and showed great interest in modern educational trends and opportunities for studying at Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy. Such experiences help foster a positive attitude toward innovation, encourage children's interest in learning, and strengthen cooperation between educational institutions, parents, and prospective students.